Reciprocating system and valve therefor



Aug. 14, 1962 J. c. NEILSON 3,049,147

RECIPROCATING SYSTEM AND VALVE THEREFOR Filed July 24, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JAY C. NEILSON HIS ATTORNE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. JAY c. NEILSO BY 47/ H ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1962 Filed July 24,1961 FIG. 7

United States Patent 3,049,147 RECIPROCATING SYSTEM AND VALVE THEREFORJay C. Neilson, Salt Lake City, Utah, assignor to Gardner Machines, Inc,Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of Utah Filed July 24, 1961, Ser.No. 126142 3 Claims. (Cl. 137-622) The present invention pertains tosystems for reciprocating large loads, principally, and moreparticularly, to a new and improved reciprocating system of a pneumaticor hydraulic type with improved valve therefor, which will ensureincreased efflciency in producing eflective reciprocating power, and atthe same time, provide for features permitting an operational cushioningeffect during the operating cycle and allowing a circulation of mediaduring neutral or no-power condition so as to prevent heat build-up inthe pump employed.

The present invention is ideally suited for service as a water-typeshot-gun feed works in the sawmill industry. The four-way valveassociated with the present invention and useable in other contexts isdeemed unique in its operational characteristics and low manufacturingcost.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedsystem for producing reciprocating motion to large loads such as cars orcarriages or other timber carrying equipment in the lumbe industry.

A further object is to provide a new four-way valve which is so designedas to be capable of operation through direct mechanical linkages, inaddition to being adapted for operation by auxiliary low-power means ofhydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical character.

A further object of this invention is to provide a reciprocating systemand valve providing for bleed-through of the medium through the valveduring neutral nopower condition, and by the same means, accomplish acushioning efiect when the system reverses direction in its operatingcycle.

A further object is to provide a valve of the type described wherein thebypass means is efiectively withdrawn from function in the valve whenthe valve is on one of the pressure or power positions, so that all ofthe available power from the prime source is then made available forperforming useful work.

A further object is to provide a four-way valve of the type described,wherein the hydraulic fluid or other media used can be metered either onthe exhaust side of the circuit or the pressure side thereof, thisdepending upon the particular. construction of the valve employed.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of 'a portion of a watertypeshot-gun feed works, according to the present invention, which may beused in the sawmill industry.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan View taken along the line 22 in FIGURE 1and is partly broken away for purposes of clarity.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged plan of the pump, valve, reservoir and cylinderassembly of the feed works, certain portions thereof being broken awayand also being illustrated in schematic form.

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of a perforate baffle plate, broken away at thecenter thereof, which may be used in the structure of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a 90 clockwise rotated section taken along the line 5-5 inFIGURE 3 of the valve body of the unique valve of the present invention;the valve spool is shown disposed in elevation within the valve body, isdisposed at one extremity of travel, but for convenience of illustrationis not shaded at the lands of the valve gate protuberances thereof.

FIGURE 6 is a section similar to FIGURE 5 but illustrates the valvespool in its central location.

FIGURE 7 is a section similar to FIGURES 5 and 6 but illustrates thevalve spool as being at its opposite extremity of travel relative tothat shown in FIGURE 5.

In FIGURE 1 the sawmill feed works It) includes the conventional,multi-wheeled car or carriage 11 which reciprocates back and forth alongrails 12 (one being shown). For rigid securement, the carriage 11 may beprovided with a flange 13 which secures the end of reciprocating rod 14by means of nuts or other appropriate attachments or securing means 15.The carriage 11, tracks 12, reciprocating rod 14 and attachments 15 areall conventional and may take several forms. Likewise, the manner of thesecurement of the reciprocating rod 14 to carriage 11 may also take oneof a number of forms. While but one track 12 is shown, it will beunderstood that there exists a pair of juxtaposed horizontallyrailroad-type tracks with the multiple wheels 16 of car or carriage 11engaging and riding therealong.

Reciprocating rod 14 extends through an end plate gland 32 to attach toa piston 16 by means of nut and washer attachments 17, for example, onboth ends thereof. Where the invention is practiced with a water medium,then it has been found desirous to fabricate piston 16 of wood as thelatter when in contact with water will swell so as to keep a tight fitwithin cylinder 18 of cylinder assembly 19; as a consequence, rings willnot need to be employed with the piston 16.

The cylinder assembly 19, in addition to including the basic cylinder 18for piston 16, also includes a side-branch cylinder 20 which interiorlycommunicates with cylinder 18 and which is fixedly positioned withrespect thereto by brace 21. For purposes of fabrication, there may beincluded a welded seam line 22 medially of the composite assembly 19,indicating the separate cylinders may be welded or otherwise secured toa Y-type juncture 23 therefor. In any event, the cylinder assembly 19 isprovided with a mounting flange 24 which is bolted or otherwise securedby means of attaching bolts 26 to reservoir and mounting flanges 27 ofvalve 23. Apertures 29 and 38 provide respective communication betweenthe cylinders I8 and 24D and the outlet ports 70 and 72 (hereinafter tobe described and explained) of valve 28. The latter (i.e. valve 28) iscompletely disposed within reservoir 25.

Boss 31 in FIGURE 3 defines an inlet port for valve 28, the latteraccommodating a suitable end fitting of conduit 33 leading to reservoirwall backing flanges 34 and 5 and these through to the pressure side (at36) of pump 37. Many types of pumps (at 37) might be employed eg. gearpumps, piston type pumps or other types; the inventor, however, prefersto employ a centrifugal-type pump wherein operating efficiencies arehigh. A perforate bathe plate 38 (FIGURES 3 and 4) serves as aperforated partition between reservoir 25 and the pump intake chamber39; the perforate baffle plate 38 serves to dampen excessive turbulencebetween the reservoir area and the pump for proper operation of thesystem.

Pump 37 is driven by the conventional motor 49, the former being securedby bracket 41 and attachments 42 to a bottom base plate or pump platform43,

While the invention need not be restricted to such design, it is deemedpreferable that the reservoir 25 constitute as shown an elongate,upstanding, rectangular en closure having a lower, rearwardly extendingplatform 43 for mounting the motor 4%) and pump 37. Means '75 areprovided for permitting the interior communication of pump 37 and thepump intake chamber 39.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the valve body structure 44 of valve 28 isprovided with an interiorly disposed, reciprocating valve spool 45, stem45 of which is provided with an outwardly protruding lug 46. This lug 46may receive the threaded end 47 of a reciprocating rod 48'. the latterpassing through a reservoir bushing-and-gland 49'. Rod 4% may beactuated by a motor 50' as controlled by a conventional switchingcircuit 51. Any number of possible means may be used to drive thereciprocating valve spool 45. Thus, instead of the motor and switchingcircuit, there may be employed simply a conventional power means whichdrives by an eccentric a reciprocating rod and link system. Any numberof conventional constructions are possible for imparting a conventionalreciprocating motion to the valve spool 45. It should be added in thisregard that the valve is so designed as to be operable by directmechanical linkages between the valve and operator personnel whenoperated manually or by other types of power means such as hydraulic orpneumatic applied systems.

In FIGURES through 7, the component 45 is a true diameter type valvespool which can be cast, fabricated or otherwise manufactured by anymeans that is conducive to low cost production. Valve spool 45 istightly disposed within the valve body 44 as will be hereinafterdescribed. Valve body 44 is preferably an integral structure definingside chambers 47 and 48 and preferably including a central chamber 46.End partitions 4? and 5t define at their lands respective gateways 51and 52, hereinafter termed outer gateways, which slidably cooperate inbearing engagement with valve gate protuberances 53 and 54 of valvespool 45. Correspondingly, medial partitions 56 and 57 define, at theirinner lands, inner gateway means 58 and 59, these serving to cooperatein slidable bearing engagement with inner valve gate protuberances 6i)-and 61.

Each of the valve gate protuberances 53, 54, 6G and 61 preferably haveannular, side recesses R. Further, a plurality of radial askew aperturesA are disposed between the lands L of valve-gate protuberances 6i and 61and the inner annular recesses R (or simply the protuberance sides if norecesses are present).

Additionally, a plurality of radial askew apertures B are disposedbetween the lands L of protuberances 53 and 54 and the exterior sides Sthereof.

FIGURE 6 illustrates the condition in which the valve spool is in itscentral or neutral, no-power position. Thus fluid pumped by pump 37 intothe pump inlet port 65 will enter the central chamber 45 and will becirculated t. rough bypass apertures or orifices A and B of the severalvalve gate protuberances 53, 54, 69 and 61 to enter the reservoir supply(within 25) exterior of valve 28 and to be circulated through bafile 38to the pump 37. By the supplying of these bypass apertures or orifices Aand B, no additional, external bypass relief system is needed for thepump. Heat build-up in the pump is avoided, and horsepower is conservedas the motor-and pum=p combination operate substantially at minimum-loadpoint when the valve is in neutral position.

FIGURE 5 illustrates one extremity of travel of the valve spool 45 withrespect to the valve body structure 44. In FIGURE 5 it will be notedthat the bypass orifices B of the valve gate protuberances 53 aredisposed well past partition 4-9 so that there is an effective blockingof fluid at this point. Hence, fluid entering the valve from the pump inthe opening 65 travels in the direction of the arrows X through chamber57 and out into the cylinder associated therewith. (See FIGURE 3.) It isseen that there is no other path for fluid to travel since the valvegate protubtrance 61 is translated to the left so that the respectivebypass orifices A are now out off from side chamber 48 so that, ashereinafter to be explained, fluid entering chamber 48 in direction Ywill be diverted through bypass orifices B, but particularly through theland openings C associated with valve gate protuberance 54 so that suchfluid will rush outwardly in the direction of arrows Y to again enterthe reservoir.

It should be mentioned at this point that the geometry of the valvespool 45 and the valve body structure 44 is such as to control thequantity of media circulating through the valve assembly by thecontrolled opening of the end lands of the spool with respect to thevalve body. This arrangement enables a metering of the media to becontrolled on the exhaust side of the circuit. If desired, the spoolcould be similarly constructed to permit a metering through the insidelands (of valve gate protuberances of 6b and 61) with respect to thebody if this were desired; this latter arrangement would allow thehydraulic media to be metered on the pressure side of the circuit.

In FIGURE 7 the valve is shown at its opposite extremity wherein theside chamber 47 is isolated from the central chamber 46 since the bypassorifices A no longer communicate with side chamber 47, but rather arecut off by the inside lands of partition 56. This blocking-off of sidechamber 47 occurs in conjunction with the opening of right hand sidechamber 48 so that fluid entering at X in FIGURE 7 will enter chamber 48and proceed (as shown by arrows Y) out the valve structure into thecylinder associated with outlet port 70. Remaining outlet port 72 isopen for the return of fluid from its cylinder through the chamber 47and out land opening C so fluid from the left hand cylinder (not shown)will be returned to the reservoir supply.

It is desirous in accomplishing the above four-way valve function thatthe valve gate protuberances 53 and 54 have guide means 73 and 74cooperating with the gateways 51 and 52 so as to assure spool alignmentand also to provide for the metered opening of the valve lane aperturesC.

It will be noted that the bypass orifices A and B are so situated thatthey operate to effectively prevent production of excessive heat at themotor and pump employed with the valve when the valve spool 45 is inneutral position and yet do not detract from available power when themechanism is shifted. Additionally, it will be noted that the orifices Bare of such size as to permit a cushioning of the hydraulic media as thedouble-acting hydraulic mechanism l9 is reversed, as to direction offluid flow, at the end of the piston stroke. Hydraulic media, forexample, returning from cylinder 18 through chamber 48 and out landopening C of valve gate protuberance 54 will not be cut off completelyin this return flow upon land opening closure since apertures B ofprotuberance 54 still remain open; this in effect serves to cushion thesystem against the shock which would otherwise occur when the landopenings C are closed on the respective side of the valve. Hydraulicmedia is moved by the momentum of the given object (here piston 16).These orifices B may be made in the size desired to provide an exactcushioning characteristic that may be desired on any specificapplication. I With the above discussion of the valve structure and itsoperation, the composite structure 63 is now readily understood. FIGURE2 now should also be referred to. Thus, when in neutral position asshown in FIGURE 6, no power will be supplied piston 16 in FIGURE 2 sothat car or carriage I I in FIGURE 1 is motionless. When the valve 28 isactuated by means 50' and 51' in FIGURE 3 so as to translate the valvespool 45 to the side of piston 16 in FIGURE 2 in the direction Y (seeFIGURE 5) into the remaining side chamber 48 of valve 28, and to beejected therefrom into the reservoir supply via land openings C, thelatter being formed through the translation of the valve spool to theleft. Subsequently, the operating mechanism 51 and motor 50 serve totranslate the valve spool 45 in the opposite direction as shown inFIGURE 7. This reverses the procedure by supplying pressure to theright-hand side of piston 16, since the fluid under pressure nowentering at X in FIGURE 7 proceeds along arrows Y out of chamber 48 andinto cylinder 18, thus causing a pressured ejection of fluid on theexhaust side of the circuit (to the left of piston 16) with the samebeing returned through the left-hand side chamber 47 out land opening Cinto the reservoir. This latter operation (see FIGURE 7) serves totranslate the carriage 11 in FIGURE 1 to the left, to starting position.

It will be readily seen that the feedworks mechanism as above describedmay be operated either manually (by manually transporting the rod 48back and forth and in central neutral position as desired) or bycoupling a suitable reciprocating means to the valve spool as indicatedgenerally at 5'1 and 53.

It should be mentioned that while the description of the invention hasbeen made in terms of water operation, other hydraulic or pneumaticmedia may be used.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in theappended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A valve including, in combination, valve body structure defining:side chambers having respective outlet ports, outer gateways disposedoutwardly of and contiguous with respective ones of said side chambers,and inner gateway means disposed between said side chambers and havingan inlet port; and an axially translatable, reciprocable spool meanscomprising a stem, plural, mutually spaced, valve gate protuberancemeans extending transversely from said stem, guide means integral withouter ones of said valve gate protuberance means and cooperable withsaid outer gateways for maintaining axial alignment of said valve spoolmeans for all translations thereof, outer ones of said valve gateprotuberance means slideably cooperating with respective ones of saidouter gateways, inner ones of said valve gate protuberance meansslideably cooperating with said inner gateway means, said plural valvegate protuberance means impeding communication between said sidechambers and said inlet port when said valve spool is in its central,neutral position, and a respective one of said inner valve gateprotuberance means, when said valve spool means is translated to anextremity position of its travel, withdrawing from its gateway means toprovide communication between said inlet port and a respective one ofsaid outlet ports while the remaining inner valve gate protuberancemeans continues to impede communication between said inlet port and theremaining one of said outlet ports.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said valve gate protuberancemeans are provided with radial, askew bypass orifices, said orifices ofsaid outer valve gate protuberance means providing communication fromrespective ones of said side chambers through respective ones of saidouter gateways when said valve spool means is in its central, neutralposition relative to said valve body structure, said orifices of saidinner valve gate protuberance means also providing respectivecommunication between said inlet port and said side chambersrespectively across said inner gateway means when said valve spool meansis in said central, neutral position; and the bypass orifices of eachrespective outer valve gate protuberance means and the inner valve gateprotuberance means respectively remote with respect thereto being closedby their respective outer gateway and inner gateway means when saidvalve spool means is disposed at a respective extremity of travel withrespect to said valve body structure.

3. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said valve body structure alsodefines a central chamber communieating with said inlet port anddelineated from said side chambers on both sides thereof by said innergateway means, the latter comprising a pair of mutually spaced lands;and wherein said valve gate protuberance means are provided with radial,askew bypass orifices, said orifices of said outer valve gateprotuberance means providing communication from respective ones of saidside chambers through respective ones of said outer gateways when saidvalve spool means is in its central, neutral position relative to saidvalve body structure, said orifice of said inner valve gate protuberancemeans also providing respective communication between said centralchamber from said inlet port across said inner gateway means lands torespective ones of said side chambers when said valve spool means is insaid central, neutral position; and the bypass orifices of eachrespective outer valve gate protuberance means and the inner valve gateprotuberance means respectively remote with respect thereto being closedby their respective outer gateway and inner gateway means land when saidvalve spool means is disposed at a respective extremity of travel withrespect to said valve body structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS751,572 Tanner Feb. 9, 1904 849,958 Abrego Apr. 9, 1907 1,188,901Conradson June 27, 1916 1,661,016 Smith Feb. 28, 1928 1,993,612 Lum Mar.5, 1935 2,242,807 Austin Mar. 20, 1941 2,603,065 Sarto July 15, 1952

